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Monday 14 November 2016

Until late in the middle ages.....

Betrothal...

Until the late middle ages, marriage consisted of two ceremonies which were marked by celebrations at two separate times, with an interval between.  First came the betrothal; then, later, the wedding. At the betrothal the woman legally married, although she still remained in her father's house. She could not belong to any other man unless she was divorced from her betrothed. The wedding( the second ceremony) meant only that the betrothed woman, accompanied by a colorful procession...celebrated and the legal tie with him was consummated.

In the Mosaic Law the prohibition of incest and licentiousness was promulgated as a prerequisite  for sanctifying oneself and being holy( Lev. 20).  You would depart from any errant practice in advance of your matrimonial union.  Thus, the betrothal celebration was accompanied by a benediction proclaiming the purity of married life as a divinely ordained institution.

Pidyon...
At this period the original meaning of the redemption had been almost forgotten, and it was observed merely as a symbol of devotion to God. Many kohanim, especially if they were rich, returned the money to the father. Such instances are mentioned as early as the end of the first century (c.E.)

Notes from, The Life Time of  a Jew by Schauss, copyright 1950.




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